"I'm a nasty piece of work, Chief" - John Constantine/Hellblazer Appreciation

[Kid A]

DC Forum Appreciation Thread rules:

1) No negative comments about the honoree of this thread. It's an appreciation thread, not a non-appreciation one.

2) No negative discussion about any competitors of the honoree of this thread (i.e. John Stewart in the Hal Jordan thread). No ifs, ands, or buts. Find another non-appreciation thread to do that, just not here.

3) No negative comments about other versions of the character. For example, if you like the DCU version of Cyborg, but hate the DCnU version (or visa versa), just appreciate the earlier version and keep your comments about the latter to yourself.

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Here, we celebrate one of the all time greatest characters of comic books and England's baddest boy, John Constantine aka the Hellblazer.

We can talk about all versions, but we're going to be pretty biased in favor of Vertigo's last long running series, Hellblazer, and against the movie and New 52 versions. That is decreed.

Hopefully the NBC TV series will be good though.

[Billy Batson]

Heh, nice to see you again, Holmes.
There doesn't seem to be a Vertigo board anymore.

[BaneofKings]

Good to see one of these for Constantine. Was thinking of starting one myself. Love the character, hoping that the TV show does him justice where the movie couldn't. Also wish that they'd get a better writer on the current series as well, have dipped in and out of it but Ray Fawkes hasn't been impressing as much as he should be. Thankfully Justice League Dark is strong at the moment though, even if I much prefer the Pre-New 52 character.

[LoneNecromancer]

All of a sudden this change to the forum becomes worth it now Holmes is back.





And of course, the most horrifying Hellblazer cover ever. It's got Thatcher on it.

[Tony Stark]

If ever a character deserved an appreciation thread. It is THE John Constantine. Hellblazer is one of the greatest comics produced by any company of all time. So many great writers have put their mark on John. Easily one of my favorite characters. The new 52 version is decent, but it will always be the Vertigo book that changed the game.

[Kid A]

Heh, nice to see you again, Holmes.
There doesn't seem to be a Vertigo board anymore.

All of a sudden this change to the forum becomes worth it now Holmes is back.

Haha thanks, nice to see you guys too.

Bummed there's no Vertigo board, we probably now need a general Vertigo thread at least.

If ever a character deserved an appreciation thread. It is THE John Constantine. Hellblazer is one of the greatest comics produced by any company of all time. So many great writers have put their mark on John. Easily one of my favorite characters. The new 52 version is decent, but it will always be the Vertigo book that changed the game.

Dude, you're stealing my shtick.

[Billy Batson]

Bummed there's no Vertigo board, we probably now need a general Vertigo thread at least.

I probably should make one...

[Tony Stark]

Dude, you're stealing my shtick.

LOL. Sorry about that. I was a Sherlock Holmes fan before I was even a fan of comics. They wouldn't let me have my first account.

[Kid A]

I probably should make one...

Do it!

LOL. Sorry about that. I was a Sherlock Holmes fan before was even a fan of comics. They wouldn't let me have my first account.

Haha just messing with ya. I see you switched RDJ characters.

[electr1cgoblin]

That initial Jamie Delano run was...incredible. Don't mean to step on any toes, but I still kind of consider issue 40 to be the final JC story.

[FanboyStranger]

Just wanted to point out that you can pre-order the first trade for the never collected Paul Jenkins/Sean Phillips run. It's Hellblazer, vol. 9: Critical Mass. It also includes Eddie Campbell's brief run with Phillips and the Jamie Delano/Sean Phillips "In Another Part of Hell" issue, considered by many (including myself) to be the finest single issue of Hellblazer.

[FanboyStranger]

That initial Jamie Delano run was...incredible. Don't mean to step on any toes, but I still kind of consider issue 40 to be the final JC story.

Delano's run is still my favorite, but there's a lot of great stuff that followed. I do think that Garth Ennis' run took some of the brains out of the book, but it's so tightly plotted and compelling that I'm okay with that. Ennis' run obviously casts the longest shadow over subsequent material.

Have you read any of Delano's returns to the character: The Horrorist, "In Another Part of Hell", Hellblazer: Bad Blood, or the Pandaemonium OGN? All are excellent and highly recommended. (Especially Bad Blood. They put out a 100 Page Giant a few years ago, but no proper collection yet.)

[electr1cgoblin]

Delano's run is still my favorite, but there's a lot of great stuff that followed. I do think that Garth Ennis' run took some of the brains out of the book, but it's so tightly plotted and compelling that I'm okay with that. Ennis' run obviously casts the longest shadow over subsequent material.

Have you read any of Delano's returns to the character: The Horrorist, "In Another Part of Hell", Hellblazer: Bad Blood, or the Pandaemonium OGN? All are excellent and highly recommended. (Especially Bad Blood. They put out a 100 Page Giant a few years ago, but no proper collection yet.)

I have not, but I should and I appreciate the suggestion. I never expected anyone to 'get' the character as well as Alan Moore in ST, particularly not someone I hadn't heard of before, but wow, was that a chilling work of depth and insight over a four year period.

[FanboyStranger]

I have not, but I should and I appreciate the suggestion. I never expected anyone to 'get' the character as well as Alan Moore in ST, particularly not someone I hadn't heard of before, but wow, was that a chilling work of depth and insight over a four year period.

Yeah, it's powerful work, especially The Family Man, my choice for best HB arc. If I have any complaints, it's that the art throughout his run was all over the place, and some of it wasn't quite up to stuff. Oh, and The Fear Machine got pretty goofy towards the end, but the social commentary in its first few issues makes it worth the price of admission.

[Tony Stark]

Haha just messing with ya. I see you switched RDJ characters.

I know my friend. At least we both know that we have great taste. You can never have too much Sherlock Holmes. Love your location by the way .